Z-Run Coming to PS Vita This May

Hello there! This is Alexey Menshikov from Beatshapers, and we’re proudly announcing Z-Run for PS Vita, coming to PlayStation Store this May. We moved back the launch date since last summer’s announcement in order to make our game bigger and better. Our previous games on PS Vita include StarDrone Extreme, BreakQuest, Furmins, and dozens of PSP minis — along with the recently announced PS4 title, Ready to Run.

Today, we’re presenting a gameplay tutorial trailer with the awesome song “You Better Run,” made especially for the game by The Spin Wires band.

The world has been overrun by flesh-hungry zombies, and you’re stranded in the middle of a post-apocalyptic city with no way out. Are you going to just stand there and get eaten, and turn into a brainless creature, too? Not likely.

In Z-Run, you never stand still. Anyone who does winds up dead. Stay on your toes if you want to stay alive. The city is a mess after the zombie apocalypse struck, so you need to be agile as well as fast while you attempt to sprint through the crowds of undead assailants. Falling over an obstacle or running head-long into abandoned cars is a sure way to get caught by the legions of zombies.

But you’re not expected to go in empty handed. An arsenal of weapons is available for collecting, including guns, bats, planks, wrenches, and even an electric guitar that will help you fend off the flesh eaters and keep on running.

Be careful how much you exert yourself, though. This is a big city, and it’s packed with hungry zombies. Every move you make, punch you throw, or guitar you swing will cost you energy. Find yourself exhausted too quickly, and you’ll be an easy meal for an army of undead attackers.

There are multiple routes you can take as you sprint through the city, and exploration is an essential part of survival during the undead armageddon. Campaign mode tasks you with working your way through the debris-strewn streets in an effort to find your way out with at least a few limbs still intact. There’s also a survival mode included, which keeps on going until the living dead finally get to feast. The more you unlock in the story, the more you get to test your skills in survival mode.

As your character increases in level, you can begin to add to your stamina, allowing you to attack and dodge more, as well as recover more quickly. You can also begin to upgrade your weapons, ammunition, and inventory to help you keep on running for longer.

Looks fun, but I’m getting to the point that I really wish indies would take the one team member who recommends Zombies out back; and beat him senseless till the word Zombie causes him/her great pain to even use the word.

Indies are the hope of originality, so why keep falling back on such an over used and boring concept.

I don’t post to criticize games on Vita because my expectation for it are obviously far lower than what I like to see on my PS4. However, Z-Run is highly disappointing as a Vita title. This belongs on smartphones. It would be a nice change of pace from Subway Surfers and Temple Run, but it doesn’t have the lasting appeal that it should have if it’s going to be on Vita. Additionally the price should be what the norm is for similar game types on smartphones – $1-$2, but I expect Z-Run will be priced much higher, at $5-$10.

Now, I’m not one of those misdirected people who somehow thinks that fewer indie games means there will be more AAA games. I know that isn’t the case. And, I like indie games. It’s just… this game makes more sense on my S4 than my Vita or console. I’m not necessarily criticizing the game itself or saying it shouldn’t be made and sold.

Thanks for the comments guys.
Well this is not mobile title: 2 playable characters, 30+ levels, separate survial mode, 12 weapons and attacks. We have up to 50 zombies on some scenes – only latest mobile can do it.
We actually have character development with points – this is just first tutorials levels. Dynamics is just right – trust me you die VERY fast even on this speed.
And we are planning to add more content and improve the gameplay with more characters and zombies after release.
Actually next blog post intended to be about what inside the game:)

I’m sorry, but this looks terrible. The animation looks choppier than some games I have on my old three year old Android. It’s a neat idea, but the execution needs a lot more polish. Maybe it’s too early to judge, but depth of gameplay doesn’t look too great either.

sorry but what the others have said is what I’ve been saying for a year and a half now. I bought a portable PS3, not a stupid Iphone or a tablet. And this LOOKS like it belongs on a tablet for $5 or $2…. I’m getting sick of this, following PS on twitter, EVERY WEEK it’s a new INDIE junk. Indies are fine I guess if you’re a kid or dont’ take much to keep you entertained……

I got my Ass. Creed white Vita bundle a yewar and a half ago and since then I’ve got a total of SIX actual Vita games. Six….. actual games on cards. Now I’m not into every kind of game or I’d have more, for instance I dont’ have any sports. But still the choices are STILL kind of lacking. I’ve only got another 5 or 6 games on my wish list. and yes I do have some PSP games downloaded and mobiles like chess and Super Stardust Delta, but the choices are still kind of lacking.

Get with it sony. You made a portable PS3, not an ACCESSORY for the PS4……

As unprofessional as this trailer seems, I actually really appreciate the authenticity of seeing someone playing the game rather than being shown bits of cutscenes and artwork that say nothing about gameplay, so props for that.

Moving on, the first thing I notice is the sound. Does the game actually have any and it’s so bland you don’t want us to hear it, or are we going to be hearing that song constantly? Neither sounds too appealing, but I think I prefer the former.

Also, a 3D endless runner with more free movement isn’t something you see too much of, so I’ll be watching this, but do you stay at that speed forever? I don’t think I could stick with this if you’re stuck in slow motion forever.

“And we are planning to add more content and improve the gameplay with more characters and zombies after release.”

So basically instead of fixing the game or improving it before it’s released you’re going to do a bunch of unnecessary additional micro transaction DLC. You should concentrate on fixing the game before it’s published. 2 initial generic playable characters is not acceptable. Minimum should be 4. If you insist on doing a fixed track fixed runner then a straight line is just plain boring. Add the ability to shift onto side streets. You could turn down an alley to an easy run or to an unbeatable horde. At least it would give the player some kind of choice in the game

And for the love of god character development does not mean stat boosting. It means give people a reason to give a damn about whether the on screen character lives or dies. Gender alone does not distinguish playable characters. We just saw this with Mercenary Kings. It’s lazy and unacceptable

Inspired by pepsi man actually, we have some side turns.
The game is about killing zombies, not runnin on streets. You have to kill or you die faster, if you have to turn also – that would be gameplay disaster, we tried already

Normally, I’d try to stray away from negative comments, especially on a title I have yet to play, but this looks bad — horrifically bad. I don’t even want this for free. I hope this is an early build or something.

I’ve finished watching half of the video above and read the comments. This is not a game I’d buy for my Vita. It is a Runner which Should be honestly on Smartphones and agreeing with other posts I wouldn’t wait for Updates for a more complete game. If waiting before everything is finally released to “complete” the game and with more of a polished game than what I saw in the video then I’d say it’d be worth buying cheap. I do not need a runner with Zombies on my Vita.

Wow Ive been gaming since Atari 2600 and before, 35ish years and I have say that this is pretty bad. Ive seen better on PS1 and PS2. Its all on one street?
If a team of more than 2-3 people made this… Its cringeworthy

This game could be fun,has a nice concept but it looks more like a potential wasted…these poor animations are a joke and the gameplay looks frustrating which is a really bad thing….I hope you guys are releasing this game as a free to play or that this is a pré-alpha gameplay of months ago.

@ 14 Jyuri000 – Pepsi Man is better in every aspect except the graphics,damn thank you for bringing such memories game was fun…for real if Z-Run was the sequel to Pepsi Man it would be a shame to its memory.

I’m tired of complaining about Vita repertory being mostly indies instead of AAA as PSP used to be… so, although I don’t like it, I got used to the idea.

But that doesn’t mean that this lack of respect of a game gets to be even put on sale. It’s a Temple Run-Into The Dead fusion … which I already have in my cellphone… for free… with better graphics and physics.

@15 I am so tired of people on every frigging vita article blaming Sony for every single game on the vita that they don’t like. If the game is not made by Sony or the creation of the game is not directly influenced by some policy or something made by Sony, then the quality and type of the game cannot be blamed on Sony!

I’m so irritated by this that I feel the need to make an in depth analysis of WHY this kind of comment does not deserve to exist (which I’ll make in my next few comments). Skip to conclusion if you care some, but not enough.

People who blame Sony for a game existing on vita, in cases like this where it is CLEARLY not Sony’s fault this game exists are arguing in the most shallow and unthoughtful manner possible. Step back and think about it. The vita is a platform that is fairly open to publishing. Not the most open, but open enough to make people feel free to try (unlike the PS3 when Dev kits cost 20k). The only way that Sony could have any real say in this game is by either supporting or opposing it more than normal. The former would mean that they really see something special in the game, and care more about it than other projects. Here, that is clearly not the case, unless I am missing something. (In which case, the commenter should POINT OUT the connection, and WHY it is an issue to be blamed on Sony)

For the second case, which is supposedly the “desired” case of the people who want this to happen, I cannot begin to fathom the “qualification” that would merit this game to be blocked from production. The game isn’t hideously broken, like “gray’s incident,” and the only real opposition to it is because it seems bland and like a phone game. Both of which are completely and totally SUBJECTIVE categories. As stated by @14, it reminded them of Pepsi man. Is Pepsi man then a mobile phone game? I could go on, but really.. Disallowing “mobile phone like games” would be one of the most arbitrary and hurtful qualifications that someone could make. (Oh and in terms of “originality” we’d also have to have disallowed publishing just another zombie game with an old dude, like that Last of Us game.) I wouldn’t be able to enjoy jet pack joyride on my beautiful vita display if that were true. There is no reason for Sony to disallow the publication of this game.

I am NOT making a personal attack on @15 or ANYONE who has made this kind of comment. You HAVE a right to not like this game. You HAVE a right to show your opinion. But when, on every single vita announcement page there is this misplaced contempt to Sony, it undermines everything.

When I can go to a page EXPECTING something as baseless as this argument, it is truly an impediment to meaningful discussion. When EVERY game is blamed as the “reason the vita is selling terrible” It just creates a negative atmosphere that is counter productive to everything.

I am not completely right on every account of what I say. I do not hold my opinion to be law. I may be posting too much. But as a one time expression of something meaningful, I hope it does some good.

OT: (just as detailed for you, developer <3, because I took up so much of your forum)

Here's how I feel about the game so far

-The tilting of the screen doesn't feel right when you run. (unless that is only when you use tilt controls, in which case the screen staying the same would be more natural)
+I like the stamina idea, and I hope that drives the game.
-When the character crashes into the car at such a slow speed, the way that you take damage feels unnatural and breaks immersion. If anything you should loose stamina from it.
=The graphics look fine, but the animation should be made smoother over time (patches, before release).
+the overall game play seems to work well, and the sound effects are fun. It may not be the most original, but it still has good potential.

I may not have a particular interest in this game, but I'm happy to see it exist, and I hope that it does well with the audience that is interested in it. I may play it at some point just to see what how it turns out.

tusunami, WOW! For once you don’t act like you love and are going to purchase EVERY SINGLE GAME EVER MENTIONED IN THE BLOG. It’s good to be positive, but dang.. be honest if you’re going to post, like you just were in this comment. Well, the last hal f of your comment anyway. The first half was still kiss-arsey.

I got 10 to 1 , that NanoBot up there is just another log in ID for Thumbs of Steel.

Let Sony defend themselves, and let the people complain, otherwise you open your own self up for criticism for doing it.
Like having nothing better to do then hunt through forums at every chance you get, trying to defend the corporate logo because you think it entitles you to.

Me on the other hand, I will take the 1st amendment.

Speak up people, and don’t let censor ridden bots tell you that what you are doing is anything less than giving your opinion.

We are the the ones with the power, since we are the ones who choose to buy or not buy their merchandise only by sticking together.

I simply offer the suggestion that if you do have a complaint explain why in a coherent and less self involved attitude with other than what is being on topic.

Primer, you’re an idiot. If people want to criticize something, that’s their right. Just as it’s your right to verbally insult everyone who posted before you, even though you almost definitely agree with them. And that’s what Makes you an idiot.

TBH I feel bad for the developer. They surely put a lot of time and work into this game and were excited to announce it here, but unfortunately they made a bad game. I wonder if they already know that it isn’t good and it’s solely a cash grab. Why wasn’t this just made for Android and iOS like it should have been? And why doesn’t Sony’s QA filter stuff like this? Sony does a lot of good, but sometimes they just end up looking like Microsoft with their poor decisions that are clearly ONLY about money and not at all about quality content or gamers.
Sony, can I make a Flappy Bird clone and put it on Vita? I bet more people will buy that than this.

Listen, Einstein. I never said that people aren’t allowed to criticize something. The point was just how stupid it is to criticize something as innocuous as a little indie video game, especially one that nobody has played yet. These little snots don’t feel threatened by this game being released, they just see an opportunity to troll. Troublemaking brats masquerading as concerned consumers. It’s dishonest and embarrassing.

With your post at #8 (your statements regarding the cost of these types of games), you only revealed how little you know about the whole damn subject. You’re really out of your element here. You should learn more about the business side of things before you speak about it. You look silly.

And no, I don’t agree with them. I haven’t played this game (nor has anyone else here), so I wouldn’t claim to know whether it’s good or bad. I wouldn’t judge a game by a single video, especially when it’s potentially showing an unfinished product.

Holy hell, what a goofball. Yeah, this is a real serious political issue here, isn’t it? Lives are at stake! The very fabric of our lives is under attack! How are we supposed to raise our children in a society filled with cheap indie video games! I’m calling my congressman right now! REVOLUTION!!!